Memories are fun, but faulty . . . Feel free to add your blur in the comments if you were there!

Mary Bland Grew Up On A Farm

This was taken on my grandparents’ Frank and Annie Bland’s farm, Nuwejaarsvlei in the Harrismith district. The farm is now under Sterkfontein Dam. Here’s older sis Pat pushing Mother Mary in the pram in the farmyard.

The Nuwejaarspruit runs from there down to the Wilge river and then into the Vaal Dam. Sterkfontein dam was built on the spruit and drowned the farm under Tugela river water. You would now have to scuba dive to see the farmhouse. The feature pic looks across the dam towards where the farm was. This pic is roughly above the farm looking back towards Harrismith:

Then they moved into town – the metropolis of Harrismith.

Nearby neighbours on Kindrochart were the Shannons, ___ and ___ with son Jack, a few years older than Pat and Mary.

When he had outgrown his Shetland Pony it was suggested to him that he give it to the Bland girls on Nuwejaarsvlei. He looked dubious but his parents encouraged him.